October 30, 2026
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Under the lights at Harvard’s Jordan Field!
Opening Message
A Century of Showing Up for Belmont Day
By Pati Fenández, Director of Development
Post Date: October 30, 2026
Nearly eight years ago, I had the joy of helping launch Giving Day at Belmont Day. I remember the excitement of inviting families, faculty, alumni, and friends to rally around a shared purpose, and the incredible feeling of watching our community respond. What stayed with me wasn’t a number on a fundraising thermometer. It was the generosity of spirit: people showing up for a school they loved, and for a mission they believed in.
Returning to Belmont Day this summer, I’ve been reminded that this spirit is as strong as ever. I see it in the warm welcomes at morning arrival, the response to volunteer opportunities, the conversations among families at school gatherings, and the ways alumni stay connected to BDS from near and far.
As we celebrate our centennial, I find myself thinking about the values of caring, responsibility, and joy. We teach these values to our students, but we also have the opportunity to model them as adults. Caring is seeing beyond our own family’s experience to the opportunities we want for every child. Responsibility is recognizing that the school we treasure is strengthened by all of us. And joy? Joy is what happens when we discover how much more we can accomplish together.
That spirit was especially evident in a recent conversation with our advancement committee members. We talked about why families give, what makes the Belmont Day experience special, and how we can better share those stories. I was quickly reminded that our greatest strength is the community itself. That is the heart of our annual fund program, the Belmont Day Fund. The name is new, but its purpose is familiar: to bring our community together in support of the people, programs, and experiences that make a Belmont Day education.
Tuition is essential to operating our school, but it does not cover everything that makes the BDS experience so meaningful. Gifts to the Belmont Day Fund help our faculty keep learning and innovating, allow our youngest students to begin exploring through field trips, expand language-learning opportunities, and make room for more middle schoolers to find their place through athletics. They also help us strengthen resources for the arts, from the equipment that supports performances to the experiences that encourage students to take creative risks.
These aren’t abstract budget lines. They are the moments when a child discovers a new interest, feels included, develops confidence, feels seen, or finds a voice. And when gifts of all sizes come together, they open doors for students across every grade.
On Tuesday, November 10, we’ll celebrate Belmont Day Giving Day. I hope you’ll think of it not simply as a fundraising date, but as a chance to express what this community means to you. Whether you are a longtime supporter or making your first gift or pledge, your participation matters. Every gift and pledge given on November 10 is a statement that we believe in our students, our faculty, and one another.
There are also ways to make your generosity go further. Many employers match charitable donations, sometimes doubling or even tripling an individual’s gift. Families may also choose to recommend a grant through a donor-advised fund. And as Giving Tuesday approaches, some employers offer additional matching opportunities or workplace giving challenges. Please reach out to Katie Wallace and me if you want help exploring any of these options.
I think back to that first Giving Day and the collective excitement of seeing our community come together. What inspires me today is knowing that we are still building on that same foundation, just as generations before us did. A century of Belmont Day has been made possible by people who chose to show up. On November 10, let’s celebrate that spirit and carry it forward for the children and leaders of tomorrow.
Upcoming Events
Monthly Calendar
PA Online Book Fair
November 16 to November 22
Mark your calendar! The Parents’ Association will partner again with Belmont Books for the annual book fair, which will be held online from Monday, November 16 through Sunday, November 22, with an in-store shopping event at Belmont Books on the afternoon of Friday, November 20. Reading lists will be available by grade level, and wish lists will be available for contributions to the Erskine Library. Stay tuned for more details!
Join Us: Open Middle School Meetings
Friday, November 13
11:50 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.
Palandjian Arts Center
All middle school parents are invited to join us in the Palandjian Arts Center for our “Open Middle School Meetings”. These are opportunities for you to be a part of our regular weekly middle school meeting time and to get a glimpse of life in the middle school!
Mark your calendar for the first open meeting, and stay tuned for more dates in the months ahead.
After School & Enrichment Registration Opens November 9
Registration for trimester two of after school and enrichment classes will open on Monday, November 9 at 7:00 a.m. Enrollment will remain open until the morning of Friday, November 27 at 9:00 a.m. For program questions, please reach out to Blair Fross, head of co-curricular and auxiliary programs, and for enrollment or waitlist questions, please contact Hannah Kleppner, assistant director of auxiliary programs.
Visit the Parent Portal to learn more about our auxiliary programs, including after school and enrichments.
Lunch & Snack Menu
November 2 to November 6
Monday
Snack: apples; BBQ baked potato crisps
Lunch: penne pasta with marinara; gluten-free pasta with marinara; toasted focaccia; steamed broccoli with olive oil; romaine salad with toasted chickpeas, red onion, toasted red peppers, and goat cheese
Tuesday
Snack: bananas; Heartzels
Lunch: turkey tacos with soft tortillas; chipotle black bean tacos; turkey tacos with corn tortillas; toppings: shredded lettuce, salsa, cheese, diced tomatoes, guacamole; roasted corn with lime and cilantro
Wednesday
Snack: clementines; granola bars
Lunch: BBQ chicken drumsticks; BBQ tempeh sticks; roasted sweet potato; sautéed kale; traditional coleslaw
Thursday
Snack: apples; Annie’s grahams
Lunch: potato leek soup; New England baked cod; vegan sausage with peppers and onions; Boston baked beans; sweet baby carrots; spinach salad with roasted apples and pears, and maple vinaigrette
Friday
Snack: craisins; multigrain chips
Faculty Lunch
Please click the button below for a more detailed, up-to-date weekly menu.
BDS News
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Giving Day Is Almost Here! ‘Of Course’ I Can Share a Video Message!
We’re Belmont Day, of course, we … ! Parents and students, please help us celebrate our community as we count down to Giving Day on Tuesday, November 10! Grab your phone and record a 10–15-second video: briefly introduce yourself, then finish “We’re Belmont Day, of course, we…” with something you love about BDS.
Need inspiration? How about … ” … of course, we high-five our cross-grade partners!” “… of course, we take our learning beyond the classroom!” or “… of course, we start our mornings making music!”
Be playful, be yourself, and share what makes Belmont Day special to you. Upload your video to this link by next Friday, November 6, for a chance to be featured in our Giving Day celebration! Thank you!
– Pati Fernández, director of development
ADMISSIONS NEWS
New Middle School-Focused Information Session Offered to Prospective Families
The Admissions Office is exploring piloting a small, virtual information session for families who are curious about transitioning to independent school for sixth or seventh grade but still have questions. Some families may be unsure about affordability. Others may be wondering what the community is like, or how a move from their public school would work. In a 30–45 minute session, Director of Admissions Liz Parfit and Director of Financial Assistance and Associate Director of Admissions Elena Jay will walk through the application process, share the unique attributes of a Belmont Day School education, and explain how our financial assistance program makes BDS accessible to a broad range of families.
If a family in your network may be interested in this information and discussion, please fill out this 1-minute survey to help us gauge interest and tailor the session. Thank you for being such generous ambassadors for our school!
– Liz Parfit, director of admissions and institutional advancement
2027-28 Financial Assistance: Deadline for First-Time Applicant Notification
Current Belmont Day families who intend to apply for financial assistance for the first time for the 2027-28 school year must notify Elena Jay, director of financial assistance and associate director of admissions, by Monday, November 2, 2026. This deadline applies only to families who have students currently enrolled at BDS who have not previously applied for or received financial assistance from Belmont Day. Families will only be eligible for consideration if there has been a significant change in their financial circumstances.
This deadline is only for a family’s intention to apply and will help our office assist interested families. If you have any questions about the financial assistance process or your eligibility, please reach out at any time.
– Elena Jay, director of financial assistance and associate director of admissions
COMMUNITY NEWS
School Photos Now Available to Order
The 2026-27 student and class photos are now available to order! To sign in to see and/or order photos, please go to Porter Gifford Photography. You will need to enter your email address and the password that was shared by email with all families earlier today.
Porter is offering a complimentary 5×7 class photo to families that place an order of at least $30. The coupon code is classphoto and can be entered at checkout. Since changes to orders cannot be made after the fact, it is important to use this code prior to finalizing your order.
Please note:
- Photos are organized by grade. Scroll down to just beneath the all-school collage for the menu bar where you can select your child’s grade. Students are not identified by name.
- Click on a photo’s shopping basket to see the sizes available and their prices.
- You may purchase just one or an assortment of your child’s/children’s photos. Digital versions are also available.
- Purchased photos will be mailed directly to the address you provide during ordering.
- If you have any questions, email porter@portergifford.com.
COMMUNITY EVENT
Pumpkin Patch Contest Winners!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by last week’s Parents’ Association Pumpkin Patch sale! As part of the fall fun, the sale included two contests for students: guess the weight of the large pumpkin and guess how many candy corn were in the jar.
And the winners are … [drumroll, please!]
- Pumpkin Weight: 22 lbs
- Pre-K to Grade 2: Hazel Mae Savage, first grade (exact guess!)
- Grades 3-5: Ryan Xu, third grade (also exact!)
- Grades 6-8: Isaac Holbert, seventh grade
- Candy Corn: 1,526
- Pre-K to Grade 2: Avra Blumsack, kindergarten
- Grades 3-5: Olive Riedel, fifth grade
- Grades 6-8: Isaac Holbert, seventh grade (double winner!)
Congratulations to all the winners! Prizes will be delivered to the winners next week.
Learning Updates
Athletics Update: Pair of Wins for Boys’ JV Soccer and Cross Country Impresses at Invitational
While parent-teacher conferences made for a shorter week, there was certainly no shortage of excitement for the Blue and Gold! From impressive soccer victories and a thrilling volleyball match to outstanding performances at the Park Invitational, our student-athletes continued to demonstrate determination, teamwork, and growth as we approach the final stretch of the fall season.
Boys’ JV Soccer had an outstanding week, earning two impressive victories in as many games! On Tuesday, the Blue and Gold defeated Park 3-0 behind a terrific combination of offensive execution and defensive pressure. Finn Schoenau opened the scoring by aggressively attacking the net and finishing a scoring opportunity. Adam Bechor Neumark followed with a beautiful redirect off a cross-field pass, while Leyth Pan added the third goal with a quick attack that found the back of the net. Defensively, Sam Dick, Avi Shah, and Ross Kully were outstanding, consistently winning possession and keeping the ball in Park’s half of the field. It was a complete team performance and a well-earned shutout.
The boys’ JV soccer team kept its momentum rolling Wednesday with an exciting 5-2 victory over Fenn. Felix Fagenholz was sensational in the opening half, recording a hat trick to give BDS an early advantage. Fenn brought a physical style of play that challenged the Blue and Gold throughout the afternoon, but goalkeeper Moses Ellner rose to the occasion with several impressive saves. Colin Lee and Adam Bechor Neumark added late goals to secure the victory, while Ethan Su and Adam DiCrescenzo contributed excellent two-way play that helped generate additional scoring opportunities. Finn Schoenau seemed to be everywhere on the field, covering tremendous ground and contributing in multiple areas. Two games, eight goals, and two victories made for a terrific week for boys’ JV soccer!
Continue Reading
Varsity volleyball also returned to action Wednesday, hosting the British International School of Boston in one of the most competitive matches of the season. The Blue and Gold came up just short in a thrilling three-set contest, 25-23, 22-25, and 12-15. BDS opened the match with a strong first-set victory, fueled by impressive service runs from Elsie Yang, Dalia DiCrescenzo, and Oli Yang. As BISB fought back, the Blue and Gold responded with strong defensive play to hold on for the opening-set win. The second set featured long rallies, aggressive attacks, and outstanding defensive efforts from both teams, but BISB narrowly prevailed to force a deciding tiebreaker. After falling behind early in the final set, BDS battled back with determination and continued to fight for every point. Although the comeback fell just short, the match was another excellent example of the team’s growth, resilience, and ability to compete against strong opponents.
The week concluded Thursday with cross country traveling to Larz Anderson Park for the Park Invitational, the team’s first major invitational of the season and an important opportunity to prepare for next week’s State Championship meet. On a beautiful fall afternoon, the Blue and Gold delivered an outstanding performance against a large field of competitors. The BDS girls finished fourth out of seven teams with 98 points, while the boys placed seventh out of 13 teams with 158 points.
Two BDS runners earned medals by finishing in the top 12 in their respective races! Alana Brown was outstanding, placing fourth out of 91 runners in the girls’ race, while Simon Bays delivered an equally impressive performance, finishing third out of 139 runners in the boys’ race. Both represented Belmont Day exceptionally well against some of the strongest competition they have faced this fall.
Beyond the medal-winning performances, several runners demonstrated remarkable improvement from last year’s event. Ashwin Balakrishnan completed the course nearly seven minutes faster than a year ago, while Matilda O’Sullivan and Boya Yun each improved their previous times by nearly three minutes! Those improvements reflect the hard work, consistency, and commitment our runners have demonstrated throughout the season.
The top five BDS girls’ finishers were Alana Brown, Amelia Chang, Emelia Jin, Penelope Wong, and Mika Elsner. On the boys’ side, Simon Bays, Raphael Hsia, Kevin Zhou, Ben Bradshaw, and Raffi Balikian led the way. Congratulations to every member of the cross country team for another tremendous effort and for continuing to push themselves and one another to improve!
As we enter the final stretch of the fall season, it is exciting to reflect on just how much our student-athletes have grown since September. Whether stepping into an unfamiliar role, competing against a challenging opponent, celebrating a teammate’s success, or improving a personal best by several minutes, our students continue to demonstrate that success in athletics is about much more than wins and losses.
With the Cross Country State Championship meet on the horizon and the final competitions of the fall approaching, we look forward to seeing our teams finish the season with the same effort, enthusiasm, and commitment to one another that have defined the past several weeks.
GO BDS!
–Stephen Marks, director of athletics
Seventh Graders Create Poetic Odes To Their Clothes
This fall, for Hispanic Heritage Month, grade 7 students read Pablo Neruda’s brilliant poem, Ode to My Socks. Using this as a basis, they wrote their own odes to clothing items in their lives that make the mundane more meaningful. This was a chance to connect with a poet and apply his poetic methods to their own worldview. Students were given a variety of poetic moves and asked to use at least five in their ode poem. The result is a collection of poems that were transformed into a coloring book so that readers can bring student poetry to life as they read.
– Tim Cushing, seventh grade English teacher
Arts Update: First Graders Create Happy Faces in Woodworking
In our recent unit, first graders worked on developing their fine motor skills by using hammers to nail in the happy face images that they painted last week. This hands-on activity not only enhanced their motor skills but also encouraged creativity as they added nails for hair, arms, and legs. The students enjoyed expressing their individuality while learning about safety and proper tool usage in a fun and engaging way. Overall, it was a successful introduction to a woodworking skill.
– Bill Smith, woodworking teacher
Parents’ Association News
Friday Night Lights Shoutout!
A big thank you to Cynthia Chang and our parent volunteers for keeping an enthusiastic crowd of hungry Belmont Day School supporters fuelled with pizza and cookies at Friday Night Lights! As our soccer stars took on Meadowbrook, you helped make this annual tradition an incredible night.
Next PA Meeting
Our next meeting will be held on Friday, November 13, at 8:15 a.m. in Coolidge Hall. Stay tuned for details of an exciting agenda that you won’t want to miss.
BDS Connections Walk
Join our next BDS Connections Walk on Thursday, November 5. Meet up right after drop-off at 8:15 a.m. outside Coolidge Hall.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other parents while exploring the beautiful woods around our school.
Parent Book Group
The next parent book group meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 8, at 7:15 p.m. at Menotomy Grill & Tavern in Arlington. This month’s book is Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang. For the full meeting schedule, please visit the Parent Portal. If you have questions or would like to join the book club email list, please reach out to Karla Bays.
Contacting PA Leadership
At any time and for any reason, please feel free to email us at bdspa@belmontday.org:
- President: Megan Akkina
- Vice President: VJ Patel
- Treasurer: Manish Patel
- Clerk: Prue Clifford
- Community Engagement: CuiCui Chen
Beyond BDS
CLASSICAL MUSIC
BDS Eighth Grader to Perform With Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
Come see and hear a wonderful evening of classical music–Glinka’s Ruslan and Ludmila Overture, Stravinsky’s Petrushka, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5–performed by the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, an acclaimed youth orchestra composed of approximately 120 elite musicians ranging in age from 12 to 21, founded by world-renowned conductor Benjamin Zander. Belmont Day School eighth grader Clara Min (cellist) will be performing as a member of the BPYO.
The concert will be held Friday, November 6 at 8:00 p.m. at the Symphony Hall in Boston. Symphony Hall serves as the permanent home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops.
Click here for tickets and more information. (Use code BPYOFAM for 50% off all tickets)
Return to the Parent Portal
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